Maternal Collapse in Pregnancy

Abstract

Maternal collapse is a rare, but life-threatening event with a wide range of possible aetiologies. There are potentially serious repercussions for both mother and baby and thus prompt recognition and treatment are key in the management. The mother takes priority in all acute collapse scenarios. It is imperative to stabilise the mother prior to consideration of the baby. Not all cases of acute collapse are predictable. Where a patient has known risk factors these should be clearly documented, and a management plan put into place. Monitoring should involve an obstetric early warning score that will show any deterioration in the mother’s condition and allow escalation for early medical intervention. Resuscitation should be aggressive involving a multi-disciplinary team to achieve the best outcomes.